Keeping Secrets
by Magicks and Vengeance
Summary: What if Willow had told Giles about Tara before she told Buffy in New Moon Rising?


Title: Keeping Secrets  
  
Rating: G  
  
Notes: Yeah, I was just watching "The Yoko Factor" today... And I got this crazy idea for a fic. So I wrote it. What if Willow had told Giles about Tara before anyone else? He was drunk at the end of "The Yoko Factor" and then he never really made too much of a deal about it after that... But yeah, anyway... Just a story about Willow confiding in Giles about Tara. Set somewhere between "Who Are You" and "New Moon Rising". And I hope it's okay, since I really don't think this is my style...  
  
  
  
  
It was getting late. Xander was surely at home, Buffy definitely out patrolling. So Willow knew she'd catch Giles alone. And she desperately needed to talk to him.  
  
She'd just left Tara's dorm, after a rather nice evening of spells, and a rather unexpected gesture from Tara: a kiss.   
  
It wasn't like she hadn't enjoyed it. In fact, she enjoyed it a whole lot. And she was excited that they were finally entering this new territory in their relationship, which had started kind of oddly. But she had come to like this girl. She adored her. She *loved* her. And it didn't feel weird at all. It felt really, really good.   
  
But she had absolutely no one besides Tara to talk about it with. And even though she knew her friends could never hate her, she couldn't help but be afraid of what they might think if she told them. And it might end up being weird to talk about, if they were all freaked out. So she decided to tell Giles. He was an adult, and she'd always felt like she could talk to him. He'd really been her first real parent. She just hoped that he wouldn't freak on her. Although if he did, it wouldn't be that bad... Giles' way of freaking was cleaning his glasses, and shaking his head while stuttering as he talked.   
  
She sighed heavily as she held up her hand, and knocked at his door. She knew she could do it. It wasn't Buffy, it wasn't Xander. It was Giles. Nice, cool and collected Giles.   
  
He came to the door, squinting his eyes and looking more than a little sleepy. But his eyes widened and he jerked up as he saw Willow in front of him. "Willow? Is, is something wrong?" he asked. "No, not really... I'm sorry if I woke you, I didn't think you'd be asleep yet..." she replied. "No, no... I hadn't gone to bed yet. I was just reading a book. Did you need something?" She nodded slightly. "Kind of, yes... I... I need to talk to you." He frowned at the worried expression on her face, but nodded. "Do come in. Would you like anything?" he asked, opening the door and moving so she could go through.   
  
"If you don't mind, could I have some water?" Willow questioned, and walked to sit on Giles' couch. He nodded, and went to the sink to get some. Willow was becoming more aware of her extremely dry mouth, and didn't think she could make it through this without something to drink.   
  
Giles returned, and sat the water on the table by Willow, who immediately grabbed for it and took a big gulp. Something was obviously bothering her. "Well... What did you need to talk about? Are you alright?" She shrugged. "I don't know... It's kind of, well, weird... I just don't feel like I could talk to Xander and Buffy yet. Promise me you won't freak out?" she asked. Giles chuckled slightly, and smiled. "Promise."   
  
Another sigh, another drink of water, and one resolve face. "I... Something's happened. Not anything bad. I actually find it to be really, really good. But I'm just so confused... And today... Today I kissed someone, Giles." He gave her a confused look. "Well you've done that before, Willow. Are you feeling guilty, because of Oz?" He wondered who it had been, but didn't push just yet. He was only glad Willow had found someone new, to help her get over the rough break-up. At least he hoped she'd found someone new, and hadn't just kissed someone because she felt like it, or because she was drunk... But she didn't look guilty at all, and she definitely did not smell like alcohol.  
  
"No, I'm not feeling guilty... Well, maybe just a little, deep inside, but... I kissed someone, Giles. And... I kissed a girl." She looked down at her sandals, curling her toes up nervously. She couldn't see him, but she couldn't hear him moving to clean his glasses. "It wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment type thing, was it?" he asked, even though he could hardly see Willow doing something like that. As he asked, he was still processing what Willow was telling him. "No, it wasn't. Of course not. I just, I... I think I love her, Giles. Is... is this bad? It feels... It feels like how being with Oz feels. Well, felt... Maybe even a little bit better. But... God, Giles, I *love* her. And it's just so weird, because it wasn't anything I'd been looking for, not even anything I'd ever dreamed might happen to me. But it feels so right, and I just... I'm afraid to tell Buffy and Xander, but I needed so much to talk to someone, and... Are you okay, Giles?" she asked, looking up.   
  
"I'm fine, Willow. Really. I'm glad that you've found someone. And don't be afraid to tell your friends, I'm sure they'll be very supportive. Although I'd watch out, Xander might be a bit *too* supportive..." A giggle emerged from Willow, causing Giles' desired affect. "Can I meet her?" he asked, "What's her name?"   
  
At this point, Willow blushed slightly. "You've already met her." Of course! Giles didn't know why he hadn't figured it out immediately. "Tara?" he questioned, making sure. She nodded, and he gave her an encouraging smile. "She's a very nice girl. You should bring her around more often." And he was telling the complete truth. He'd had a very good feeling about the young witch Willow had brought to his house, introducing her as her friend Tara, who was the only one that had figured out that there was something wrong with Buffy. She was extremely shy, but obviously very smart. She knew there was something wrong with someone she'd never even met before. Plus, Willow had gone to the nether realm to find Buffy... Which could only be done with an anchor, obviously Tara. He should have noticed then, since he knew that certain spell was a very intimate act.   
  
"Thank you, Giles." She looked up at me, smiling widely, with tear-filled eyes. One fell and she quickly wiped it away. "I was just... I was so scared. I was scared to tell anybody. And now... And now it's all okay, and here comes my pent up fear."   
  
Giles pulled her into a hug. "Always know that you can tell me anything, Willow. You can tell me anything."   
  



End file.
